“The kind of climate that is being created in our country right now, I think, is going to negatively affect in terms of people coming forward and reporting those [human trafficking-related] crimes.”

Skip and Zach sat down Maria Trujillo, CMC alumna and Human Trafficking Program Manager at the Colorado Department of Public Safety, about her experiences abroad and the fight against human trafficking today.

Biography:

Maria A. Trujillo ’01 serves as the Human Trafficking Program Manager at the Colorado Department of Public Safety in the Division of Criminal Justice, specifically the Office for Victims Programs. In this role, Trujillo coordinates the efforts of the Colorado Human Trafficking Council. Trujillo spent the previous six years in Houston as the executive director of the non-profit organization United Against Human Trafficking, whose mission is to prevent and confront human trafficking by raising public awareness, training front-line professionals and empowering the community to take action. Trujillo graduated as an International Relations major from Claremont McKenna College in 2001. She obtained her master’s degree in International Communications from American University.

Quote Preview:

"Fear over immigration status) is a big way in which traffickers keep people under their control...” (6:00)

“People want to be heard and they want to know that you’re trying to appreciate their perspective and find solutions together.” (7:00)

“A shift in policy and administration doesn’t necessarily change that individual that you have a relationship with--they’re still the person that you can talk to and work out these issues with. It’s not them; it’s policy.” (13:23)